NetGalley

A return to normalcy. For this I am thankful. This same time one week ago I
had returned from my trip to Quito. Thanks to all who prayed for me
and enjoyed the photos I shared.
During the process of returning home I was slightly worried about
catching my connecting
flight from Houston to St. Louis, which I had to do in less than an
hour. I must have been quite a sight racing through the airport
with my little green suitcase, going through immigration, rechecking my
luggage, and passing (yet again) through another level of security. But
praise be to God, I made my flight! I didn’t feel well on the first
leg of the flight and by the time I had sprinted through the airport
reaching the plane headed for home, I was exhausted. I thankfully was
able to doze most of the way home. Once returning home and making a
trip to the doctor for some antibiotics, my appetite and digestive
system have finally
started to regulate and I’m starting to feel like myself once again.

Things that have made me happy over the past several days:
– greatly enjoying my second Symphony chorus rehearsal. The Stravinsky
and Rachmaninoff pieces are coming together slowly but surely…
– installing a new sweet cinnamon spice Wall Flowers air freshener. It smells like fall in my office. Yum.
– anticipating a late October visit to Knoxville – the home of my
fabulous friends Aarik & Brooke. A road trip to the South when the
leaves are changing
makes me smile just thinking about it.
– Fall TV beginnings & endings. Beginnings: new season of Gilmore Girls that began last night, NBC’s Heroes pilot
Monday night (it made me want to read a comic book, and I’ve never read
a comic book before…unless you count Archie & Jughead, but I
don’t think that counts). Ending: Project Runway makes me figuratively bite my nails while wondering who will be chosen as the next winner.
– beginning a new Bible study in my Sunday School class covering 52
Women of the Bible (one per week for the year). I’m excited in learning
more about some notable and not so known women who were real people who
helped shape history. Much to learn, I’m sure.

As included, I’m currently reading Love You, Mean It, a
collective memoir of four women who became friends after their husbands
were all killed during the World Trade Center attacks on September 11.
It’s a hard look at how difficult their lives have been, but hopeful in
knowing there have been brighter days since then. This poem is mentioned at
the beginning of the book:

Security is mostly a superstition.
It does not exist in nature,
nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than
outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.To keep our faces toward change and

behave like free spirits

in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable. (emphasis added)

– Helen Keller

Regardless of the situation we face, knowing we may do so with freedom
in our hearts and strength given in Christ are words of hope that
comfort me any day of the week.

oh kyle. great pictures and the video was a nice touch. we might be going to mexico on a short term mission trip in the spring. we’re praying for the funding, timing and time to do this trip. sad to say, i saw those 4 on the view. yes, when your tv in the breakroom doesn’t have a working antenna abc is the only station that gets any clear picture. it’s sounds interesting. have you picked up any spanish? i miss the faculty/staff from the music department. i actually played the piano before the guitar, so i definitely used the piano as a reference to learning guitar. now, i just need to even out my abilities on both instruments.
ryan

Welcome back to the US! I missed you sweetie-kins, and I’m glad you’re back safe and sound! Oh, hey – the 4th Big Stone Gap book is coming out this month – WHOOP WHOOP!! Let’s read together and compare notes like last time. Kisses!